Hi,

This is the first of three emails in the Seasonal Cooking Made Simple series that I created to help you shop, store, and cook with seasonal produce in every season.

In this email series, you’re going to learn how to select the best seasonal produce every time, how to prep, store and freeze it, and finally, how to incorporate it into a wide variety of recipes.

First up: Choosing your fresh produce!

One of the easiest and surest ways to improve the taste of any recipe is to use fresh, in-season produce. (Plus, the fresher it is, the more nutritious it is!)

Yes, you can preserve nutrients by freezing fresh produce, but the longer it sits in the fridge, the more it starts to lose its texture and nutritious content. (I’ll get into how, what, and when to freeze your produce in the next email.)

So…how do you select the best produce for every season of the year?

I’ve got a few expert tricks to share on what to look for and what to avoid.

How to Choose Seasonal Produce by Category

You want to use your senses when selecting produce. How things look, how they smell, and sometimes how they feel. Here’s a quick rundown of what to look for and avoid, based on each category of common produce.

Leafy Greens & Tender Herbs

• Look for vibrant color and crisp leaves
• Avoid wilting, yellowing, or slimy spots
• Herbs should smell fresh and aromatic

Cruciferous Vegetables

• Firm, dense heads
• Tightly packed florets or leaves
• No yellowing or strong sulfur smell

Root Vegetables

• Firm and heavy for their size
• Smooth skins without soft spots
• Avoid sprouting (especially potatoes)

Alliums (Onions, Garlic, Shallots)

• Look for firm bulbs with dry, papery skins
• Avoid soft spots, mold, or sprouting
• Shallots should feel heavy for their size

Leeks (A Fresh Allium That Needs Refrigeration)

• Look for firm, straight stalks with crisp white and pale green sections
• Avoid leeks with slimy layers or excessive yellowing
• Smaller to medium leeks are usually more tender than very large ones

Citrus Fruits

• Heavy for their size (juicier!)
• Smooth, firm skin
• Avoid shriveled or dull rinds

Tomatoes and Peppers

• Tomatoes: fragrant, vibrant, slightly soft
• Peppers: glossy skin, firm flesh, heavy for their size

Berries & Soft Fruit

• Bright color and plump texture
• No mold or leaking juices

That’s just a snippet of what you’ll find inside the How to Choose and Store Produce Guide on the blog.

You’ll also find my tips and tricks for choosing and storing common vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms, and squash for every season. Plus recipes!

Now that you know how to select your produce, you might be wondering what’s in season each month. I’ve got you covered!

Check out my monthly seasonal produce guides

Each guide is complete with recipe roundups for fresh cooking ideas. Plus, you’ll find interesting facts, nutrition information, and more helpful tips for storing and preparing seasonal produce every month of the year.

If you have any questions about selecting produce, please hit reply and ask. I’m happy to help!

Happy cooking!

​Marcie

P.S. Look out for my next email in this series, all about prepping, storing and freezing all of your beautiful fresh produce!